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Is childhood syndrome related to COVID-19 in MN? Doctors asked to report symptoms

Minnesota health officials are asking doctors and parents to keep an eye out for signs of multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children, a disease that is believed to be tied to COVID-19.

Symptoms of the disease, which has been seen in Europe and New York City, include persistent fever; abdominal pain, diarrhea or vomiting; rash or changes in skin color; trouble breathing and confusion or unusual sleepiness. Patients with the syndrome often experience multi-organ distress.

State health officials have not identified any cases of the syndrome in Minnesota so far, but they sent a health advisory to doctors Friday asking them to report suspected cases to the Minnesota Department of Health.

“We sent the health alert out because we have heard that there may be some cases in Minnesota, and we would like to get the reports and be able to find out if it is occurring and how frequently it is occurring,” said Ruth Lynfield, an epidemiologist with the state Department of Health.

Some of the children who have been diagnosed with the syndrome in other states are also positive for COVID-19 while others have tested positive only for coronavirus-fighting antibodies. Some of the children didn’t develop symptoms of the syndrome until weeks after possible exposure to the coronavirus.

About 100 children in the U.S. have had the syndrome, and three have died.

“It is rare,” Lynfield said. “Most children have gotten better. We don’t know 100 percent if this syndrome is related to COVID-19.”

Adolescents are not at as high of a risk of developing serious COVID-19 cases as elderly Minnesotans, but that doesn’t mean they cannot catch the coronavirus or become really sick from it. The state has seen 840 COVID-19 infections in children ages 19 and under, and 27 of them have been hospitalized.